Why Owners Say “No” to Selling

I have rarely found an owner who, when asked if he would consider selling his business, immediately says, ‘‘Yes, I want to sell, and I want to sell now.’’ If you did actually get an immediate yes, this might well indicate weakness on the part of the prospect. Most often, though, the responses you will hear are ‘‘Probably not,’’ ‘‘Not right now,’’ or flat out ‘‘No, thanks.’’

When you first approach an owner to discuss the possibility of an acquisition, different factors shape an owner’s mindset and affect his initial response—factors such as history, age, family and community. Older owners may see their company as their life’s work, while younger owners may be less invested emotionally or financially. For most company owners, “no” is a knee-jerk response.” It’s simply a lot easier for them to say “no” than “yes.”

When an owner says “no,” you may be tempted to give up. That would be a huge mistake. In fact, you should embrace every rejection, because if you listen carefully to the reasons, they can lead you to the hidden equation for which the owner will, in fact, sell.

*This post was adapted from David Braun’s Successful Acquisition, available at Amazon.com

David Braun

David Braun is the founder and CEO of Capstone Strategic and author of Successful Acquisitions: A Proven Plan for Growth. His specialty is helping companies grow through acquisition.

Through consistent focus on this one specialty, David has built up a formidable expertise that has led to an acquisition success rate way beyond the industry average.

David Braun is a sought-after educator who has been teaching senior executives and financial professionals for over 21 years. His live seminars and online webinars are in high demand, and his blog is widely read by M&A professionals, business owners and all who wish to understand the dynamics of growth through company acquisition.

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